Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

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#12,693
Ravvie99 said:
This looks worse after dunking! Does it look like black shoe polish was put over the burgundy, perhaps a decade ago?! I barely scrubbed those scratches and now they're pink spots! Ugh.
Help -what would you do??

View attachment 3560057
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Wow, that is weird! I'm sorry this happened to you. It does have kind of a dull waxy look, so maybe it is old polish. Or some other product that reacted badly with the tanning chemicals and pigments in the leather?

At this point you may be in uncharted territory. I don't have anything to suggest except maybe acetone and another bath.
 
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#12,694
Catbird9 said:
Wow, that is weird! I'm sorry this happened to you. It does have kind of a dull waxy look, so maybe it is old polish. Or some other product that reacted badly with the tanning chemicals and pigments in the leather?

At this point you may be in uncharted territory. I don't have anything to suggest except maybe acetone and another bath.
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Thanks for the advice! I was afraid acetone was the answer. I'm sure not crazy about having a growing acetone pile...
 
#12,695
ledobe said:
I couldn't decide whether to post this in second hand bargains, which coach are you carrying, or here. Obviously I opted for here.

I found this Ali on eBay for $30. The problems were disclosed but the pictures were blurry so it was hard to tell what I'd get. What I got was a really dirty interior (make up dump, it looks like) really great structurally, actually fairly clean for a white bag of its age on the outside, and yellowed white leather. The bottom, back, side had some brownish color transfer, it actually looked like make up, and I started by trying to wipe it with some mild soap and a washcloth but it didn't budge.

I tried to convince myself for a couple of hours that I could just clean the interior in the sink and let the rest go, the leather was on good shape and the yellowing looked like natural aging. But you know me, she ended up in the washer.

It took her about three days to dry. The color transfer was better, I felt more comfortable because she was really clean, but the yellowing was slightly worse. This doesn't surprise me with the vachetta, since its not drum dyed, as the vachetta darkens I think it starts to show through lighter colors.

I experimented a little with fiebings alcohol based white dye but it didn't go on smoothly and I doubted it would cover well. I finally bought two small sample containers of leather refinisher, one white and one vanilla, mixed them together and put on a light coat.

I don't have before pix and the yellowing probably wouldn't have shown up anyway, but here's an after.

View attachment 2326364

Over all I'm really really happy. She's not perfect. The wash made a minor edging issue worse, and I tried glueing it together with Shoe Goo since other glues I've tried on other Legacy bags weren't effective. I think it might hold together but I may just paint it white instead of trying to cover with edge coat.
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I had a pm about what I used to color this bag, its this refinisher, the colors are mentioned in the post:
http://www.wood-n-stuff.com/leatheraid.html
 
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#12,697
houseofcoach999 said:
I used it straight, it's cleaned up the surface dirt but not super clean. The areas under the pockets the most worn I guess.
Ugh, how can someone be so careless about a bag like this! It's like it's NEVER EVER been cleaned! View attachment 3502358 View attachment 3502359
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So did you read what I did to my Ali? I have also dunked a Mandy like yours but it was in natural, white is a different beast. I would tell you not to expect it to come out perfect, and there is more detail on a Mandy than an Ali so it will be harder to use the refinisher on...but...it's doable. Dunking the White Ali was scarier because it definitely looked worse wet, white colors always do. I wouldn't "scrub" it with anything more rough than a wash cloth, and be careful because white dye really is paint, you don't want to risk rubbing it off. It took at least a couple of days to dry and I live in the desert.

I'm really big on dunking so I may not be the best person to give advice, so take it with a grain of salt! I think in my case it came out better because I felt like it needed to be cleaned.

The other thing to mention is the refinisher will cover the top stitching. After it was completely dry I used some conditioner on it and it gradually rubbed off with time and wear.

My Mandy is one of my favorite bags, at least partially because since it was "preburnished" I don't feel like I have to baby it. But burnished tan leathers are different from burnished white leathers. Good luck and don't hesitate to ask, at this point I think I've rehabbed about every style and color of those '06 Legacy bags.
 
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#12,698
Ladies, Happy New Year! I'm sure it'll be better than 2016 and bring you many happy rehabs with very satisfying results.

nice purse.jpg

I'm looking for a more permanent solution to keeping brass hardware on vintage Coach bags shiny - after cleaning it with Brasso, MAAS etc. I vaguely remember some of you using clear nail polish for that purpose - so, if my memory serves me right, how did this work in the long run?

I've researched the Rehab and Rescue Club for a couple of products before bothering you with this question, but was only able to find another question about the first product, Gilders Paste:

dstalksalot said:
Anyone try gilders paste/wax on thier bags to add dimension? They have metalics, but I was thinking of a slight recolor without dye. I've seen some people use rub n buff on leather shoes, and it gives a drastic metal finish, I'm looking for something more subtle to even out a blochy cream bag with some mold speckles.
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I'm not sure though that's what I want. http://www.gilderspaste.com/waxMediumTechniques As far as I remember, someone here used a similar product purchased at Jo-Ann Fabric, and although it worked for covering scratches on turnlocks on vintage Italian Madisons that couldn't be polished with abrasives , it's not a clear protective coat I'm looking for.

And about the second one, ProtectaClear, I read brief mentioning on some other forum (Louis Vuitton?), but nothing more substantial: https://www.everbritecoatings.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=109 And, what's important, no feedback from real life people.

Any information will be greatly appreciated!
 
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#12,699
catthecurious said:
Ladies, Happy New Year! I'm sure it'll be better than 2016 and bring you many happy rehabs with very satisfying results.

View attachment 3562479

I'm looking for a more permanent solution to keeping brass hardware on vintage Coach bags shiny - after cleaning it with Brasso, MAAS etc. I vaguely remember some of you using clear nail polish for that purpose - so, if my memory serves me right, how did work in the long run?

I've researched the Rehab and Rescue Club for a couple of products before bothering you with this question, but was only able to find another question about the first product, Gilders Paste:




I'm not sure though that's what I want. http://www.gilderspaste.com/waxMediumTechniques As far as I remember, someone here used a similar product purchased at Jo-Ann Fabric, and although it worked for covering scratches on turnlocks on vintage Italian Madisons that couldn't be polished with abrasives , it's not a clear protective coat I'm looking for.

And about the second one, ProtectaClear, I read brief mentioning on some other forum (Louis Vuitton?), but nothing more substantial: https://www.everbritecoatings.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=109 And, what's important, no feedback from real life people.

Any information will be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...

A few months ago I used Rub n Buff on a wallet medallion, followed by a thin coat of clear nail polish. So far it is holding up well.
https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club.833400/page-786#post-30476686
 
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#12,700
I need some advice from more experienced rehabbers! I'm working on my first rehab of an early 90's black station bag. After reading up on a multitude of "how I did it" posts, I soaked the bag in dawn for roughly an hour. I rinsed it (not super intensely, just soaked it in clean water and ran the faucet over it for a while), stuffed it with paper towels, and let it dry while rotating it for about 48 hours. After it was mostly dry I used apple leather conditioner. I gave it a second conditioning the next day for good measure. Unfortunately, the bag now seems a little too dry, but isn't cracked or breaking anywhere. Does anyone have any suggestions for softening it up? Should I restart the cleaning process to try and make sure the bag is well-rinsed? Are there any products that could condition better than the apple conditioner I've used? Any help is appreciated!
 
#12,701
kymuir said:
I need some advice from more experienced rehabbers! I'm working on my first rehab of an early 90's black station bag. After reading up on a multitude of "how I did it" posts, I soaked the bag in dawn for roughly an hour. I rinsed it (not super intensely, just soaked it in clean water and ran the faucet over it for a while), stuffed it with paper towels, and let it dry while rotating it for about 48 hours. After it was mostly dry I used apple leather conditioner. I gave it a second conditioning the next day for good measure. Unfortunately, the bag now seems a little too dry, but isn't cracked or breaking anywhere. Does anyone have any suggestions for softening it up? Should I restart the cleaning process to try and make sure the bag is well-rinsed? Are there any products that could condition better than the apple conditioner I've used? Any help is appreciated!
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I think you need better conditioners. Apple is fine for maintenance on new bags but you need something more intensive to rehabs. I like Leather CPR, which you can get at Bed Bath and Beyond, but it is usually cheaper other places. It is difficult to know if you rinsed out all the soap, as that can also make it stiff. To get optimal results, there are few other products you'll need; at the very least, Blackrock Leather n Rich for the final conditioning.
 
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#12,702
Sonoma said:
Hello Everyone!

This Coach bag will be a gift (with the idea that I would rehab it), but have no experience with this kind of leather.
How would I go about cleaning & conditioning this kind of leather, and will those water spots improve?
It's from the 1980s I think and is pretty worn - do you think I can make it look better?

Any thoughts or ideas greatly appreciated!View attachment 3534048 View attachment 3534049 View attachment 3534050
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Happy New Year everyone!
Just an update that this 5230 Shoulder Brief (a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law) turned out great and the cigarette smell disappeared!!
It took washing, and much conditioning and airing out. I was only able to minimize the marks and stains, but my sister-in-law was thrilled. (I used 3 coats each of CPR and then BlackRock. The Blackrock helped the most I think, especially by making the color a bit darker and adding shine. For odor, just did a final rinse in a weak white vinegar bath - had to dry completely before the odor was gone.)

Thank you Catbird9 for your help and support!
(Attached is before and after.)
s-l1600-5 alt.jpg $_12-2 sharp.jpg IMG_2139sm.jpg IMG_2138sm.jpg IMG_2140 SM.jpg f
 
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#12,703
Sonoma said:
Happy New Year everyone!
Just an update that this 5230 Shoulder Brief (a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law) turned out great and the cigarette smell disappeared!!
It took washing, and much conditioning and airing out. I was only able to minimize the marks and stains, but my sister-in-law was thrilled. (I used 3 coats each of CPR and then BlackRock. The Blackrock helped the most I think, especially by making the color a bit darker and adding shine. For odor, just did a final rinse in a weak white vinegar bath - had to dry completely before the odor was gone.)

Thank you Catbird9 for your help and support!
(Attached is before and after.)
View attachment 3563172 View attachment 3563173 View attachment 3563175 View attachment 3563180 View attachment 3563176 f
Click to expand...

Beautiful job! I'm so glad the smell went away. You breathed new life into that bag.
 
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#12,704
Hi Everyone
Am about to rehab this Bleeker L8D-9305 for my sister-in-law.
This is only the second glove-tanned bag I've rehabbed and would appreciate some reassurance on how to proceed.

It has many lighter colored marks on it - looks worse in person.

I was planning on soaking for 20 minutes, then stuff and dry a bit. Then condition with CPR, followed by Blackrock in hopes that the color will even out. (I've had that work on black Sonomas using Blackrock.)
Or do you think Leather Therapy would work better than CPR?
Any ideas or thoughts appreciated!

TIA!
IMG_2154sm.jpg IMG_2152sm.jpgIMG_2153sm.jpg
 
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